Rail bumper for gaming table



April 25, 1967 A. P. FRIGO 3,315,960

RAIL BUMPER FOR GAMING TABLE Filed Feb. 23, 1965 ATTORNEYS United StatesPatent 3,315,960 RAIL BUMPER FOR GAMING TABLE Arthur P. Frigo,Glenhrook, Conn. (620 Pelham Road, New Rochelle, N-Y. 10805) Filed Feb.23, 1965, Ser. No. 434,411 Claims. (Cl. 273-9) The present inventionrelates to an improved gaming table of the pocket billiard or pool typeand more particularly to a gaming table of the type shown in my US.Patent 3,029,078, entitled, Gaming Table, dated Apr. 10, 1962, andhaving a curvilinear cushion or rail defining the periphery of theplaying surface and curved to employ certain rebounding characteristicswhich enhance the challenge and excitement of the game.

In the game of pool, an object ball or both the object ball and the cueball may come to rest at the periphery of the playing surface eitheragainst or in close proximity to the peripheral cushion of the table. Asis well known, it is difficult to properly play a cue ball positionedagainst the cushion or to dislodge an object ball positioned against thecushion and accordingly when this occurs on tables utilizing acurvilinear cushion, the player may not be able to properly utilize thespecial rebounding characteristics for which the curvilinear cushion isdesigned and he may not be able to avoid driving the peripherallylocated object ball along the curvilinear cushion. Also, where thecushion is formed to provide a curvilinear periphery about the entireplaying surface, as where the cushion and playing surface areelliptical, a ball striking the cushion at a small angle will, due tothe curvilinear configuration of the rail, repeatedly strike and reboundfrom the cushion at diminishing angles such that the ball eventuallymerely tracks or follows along the peripheral cushion withoutrebounding. This is particularly noticeable in the play of inexperiencedplayers who are more likely to misjudge or be inaccurate in theselection of the proper angle of play.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention toprovide an improved gaming table of the type described which providesfor playing the peripherally located balls without changing the specialrebounding characteristics of the table and which provides for limitingthe peripheral tracking of such balls along the cushion.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedgaming table of the type having a playing surface having a curvilinearboundary which limits peripheral tracking of a ball without adverselyinterfering with the normal playing principles and techniques which maybe employed when playing pocket billiards or pool with such tables.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more indetail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereafter set forth, and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a gaming table embodying the presentinvention, additionally showing a cue ball and a stack of pool balls onthe playing surface of the table;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the gaming tableshowing in detail a peripheral portion of the table;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial elevation section view of the gamingtable, partly broken away and partly in section, additionally showing apool hall in part in phantom; and

FIG. 4 is a section view, partly broken away, taken substantially alongline 44 of FIG. 3.

3,315,960 Patented Apr. 25, 1967 Referring now to the drawing in detailwherein like referenced characters indicate like parts throughout theseveral figures, a gaming table of the type used in pocket billiards orpool, generally designated 10, is similar to the gaming table describedin my US. Patent 3,029,078, which issued Apr. 10, 1962. As described ingreater detail in that patent, the table 10 includes a table topcomprising a horizontal planar base member 12 which provides a recessedplaying surface 13 that is enclosed by a curved rail, generallydesignated by the numeral 14. The base member 12 and the rail 14preferably have a covering of felt 15 or similar material (FIG. 3) in amanner which is typical of pool and billiard tables. In the specificembodiment shown, the playing surface 13 has an elliptical shape and isprovided with a pocket 16 which is preferably located at one of the focion an axis of the elliptical playing surface and which is thereforespaced inwardly of the rail 14 and outwardly of the geometrical centerof the playing surface. For reference purposes a second foci located onthe same axis as the pocket 16 may be indicated as shown in FIG. 1 witha mark-er 18.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 3, the rail 14 is shown comprising anupright rim 29 of substantially rigid material such as wood or the likewhich is mounted on the base member 12 of the table. Forming the innercurvilinear edge of the rail 14 is a resilient cushion 22 of generallytriangular configuration which. is affixed to an inner edge 23 of therim 20. As shown, the cushion 22 projects inwardly so that its apex 24defines the innermost extent of the rail as well as the curvilinearperiphery of the playing surface 13.

In accordance with the present invention, the table 10 is provided witha relatively narrow bumper 26 adjacent to and inwardly of the apex 24 ofthe cushion 22. The bumper 26 is provided by a generally V-shaped framemember having a first elongated leg 28 securely fixed to the top face ofthe rail 14 and an integral second leg 30 of shorter length which slopesdownwardly and outwardly from the inner end of the frame. The angularrelationship between the legs 28, 30 is shown to be substantially thesame as that defined by the exposed surfaces 32, 34 of the triangularcushion 22, approximately 60 as seen in FIG. 3.

As shown in FIGS. -2 and 3, the leg 28 is of pl'atelike constructionwith a pair of countersunk apertures 36 for attaching the bumper 26 tothe rim 20 with threaded wood screws 38. Unlike leg '28, which hasgenerally fiat inner and outer faces, the leg 30 of the bumper 26taper-s downwardly toward its free end and has a forward edge 40 havinga compound curvature including a convex or rounded curvature along theleg as seen in FIG. 3 and a convex or rounded curvature transversely ofthe leg as seen in FIG. 4. The forward edge 40 faces inwardly of therail toward the playing surface and has an apex 41 shown to be slightlyhigher than the apex of the cushion 22. Covering the leg 30 is aresilient rubberlike sleeve 42 which is formed to extend preferably toor slightly below the top surface 44 of the leg 28. Because of theconvex curvature of the leg 30 it will not. function as a guide for theball, but instead a ball striking the same will carom or rebound towardthe center of the: table in varying directions depending upon the angleat which the leg 30 is struck by the ball. In this regard, thedimensions of the leg 30 are preferably such that it will project foronly a small distance into the normal playing area and preferably notmore than half the diameter of the ball, which in most tables is usuallyslightly greater than the height of the cushion. As a specific example,a projection of about /2" to 1 is preferable. This minimizes thedirectional effect exerted on the ball and also keeps to a minimum theamount of normal rail area which is covered.

Although the bumper 26 could be readily located or relocated at any oneof an infinite number of position-s along the periphery of the playingsurface to provide for preventing peripheral tracking of a peripherallypositioned ball, the bumper is preferably symmetrically positioned onthe axis of the elliptical playing surface in which the pocket 16 islocated but on the opposite side of the geometrical center of theplaying surface from the pocket 16. So located, the bumper presents theleast interference with the use of the normal rebounding characteristicsof the table. For example, a shot which would normally utilize a reboundfrom the portion of the cushion which is inaccessible due to theplacement of the bumper would be moving in a direction normal to thesurface and therefore it is possible to utilize the bumper in the samemanner to provide the rebound. Also, the portion of the playing surfaceat the preferred bumper location presents the least criticality so faras' the angle of movement of the ball is concerned and thus,particularly when the bumper is of small size, it is possible to avoidthe bumper and still not miss the shot. Thus, a ball can beintentionally driven to strike the cushion adjacent the bumper, whenfrom a purely mathematical viewpoint it should be driven against thecushion behind the bumper, and the ball would nevertheless rebound withsufficient accuracy to, for example, sink the ball into the pocket. 7

The resilient convex surface of the bumper projecting a short distancefrom the rail into the playing area assures that any ball whichinadvertently or unavoidably is tracking along the curvilinear railwill, upon striking the bumper, rebound onto the playing area away fromthe rail without however being directed toward the pocket so as toaflford any advantage in a directional sense. However, the bumper may beutilized in some instances and with proper skill to permit the cue ballto be caromed off to make difficult angle shots on object balls in thecenter region of the table.

As will be apparent from the foregoing description, the presentinvention provides an improved elliptical or curvilinear pool tablewhich reduces ball tracking along the edge of the playing surface, whichadvances the demanding and stimulating qualities of the game played onthe table, and which increases the potentiality for eifectuatingdifficult angle shots not heretofore possible, all withoutadversely'affecting the special rebounding characteristics of the table.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modificationsand adaptations of the structure above described will become readilyapparent without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention,the scope of which is defined in the appended claims, v

I claim:

1. A pool table comprising a flat playing surface, a rail about theplaying surface having an inner concavely curvilinear cushion formingthe perimeter of the playing surface, and a fixed bumper located at apredetermined position along the perimeter of the playing surface, saidbumper having a convexly curved inwardly facing edge adjacent to andprojecting inwardly from the rail, said bumper edge having a resilientsurface positioned inwardly from the rail a distance less than half theheight of the rail.

2. A pool table comprising a flat playing surface, a rail about theplaying surface having an inner concavely curvilinear cushion formingthe perimeter of the playing surface, a ball pocket in the playingsurface spaced inwardly from the rail, and a fixed bumper on the railforming an inwardly extending convexly curved projection on an axispassing through the ball pocket.

3. The pool table of claim 2 wherein the bumper comprises a generallyV-shaped frame having a first generally outwardly extending leg fixed tothe rail and a downwardly and outwardly sloping inner leg with aninwardly facing convexly curved edge, and a resilient sleeve about theinner leg forming a rebounding surface.

4-. A pool table comprising a fiat playing surface, a rail about theplaying surface having an inner concavely curvilinear cushion formingthe perimeter of the playing surface, a ball pocket in the playingsurface located in an axis of the table and spaced from the rail andalso from the geometrical center of the playing surface, and an inwardlyextending bumper on the rail located on the axis of the ball pocket butat the opposite side of the geometrical center of the playing surface,said bumper having a convexly curved resilient inwardly facing surface.

5. A pool table comprising a flat playing surface, a rail about theplaying surface forming a generally elliptical perimeter about theplaying surface, a ball pocket in the playing surface spaced inwardly ofthe rail and outwardly of the geometrical center of the playing surfaceand on an axis of the elliptical perimeter, and a fixed bumper adjacentto and inwardly of the rail having an inwardly facing convexly curvedrebound edge symmetrically located on said axis on the opposite side ofthe geometrical center of the playing surface from the ball pocket.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1903 Clark273-8 4/1-962 Frigo 273-9

1. A POOL TABLE COMPRISING A FLAT PLAYING SURFACE, A RAIL ABOUT THEPLAYING SURFACE HAVING AN INNER CONCAVELY CURVILINEAR CUSHION FORMINGTHE PERIMETER OF THE PLAYING SURFACE, AND A FIXED BUMPER LOCATED AT APREDETERMINED POSITION ALONG THE PERIMETER OF THE PLAYING SURFACE, SAIDBUMPER HAVING A CONVEXLY CURVED INWARDLY FACING EDGE ADJACENT TO ANDPROJECTING INWARDLY FROM THE RAIL, SAID BUMPER EDGE HAVING A RESILIENTSURFACE POSITIONED INWARDLY FROM THE RAIL A DISTANCE LESS THAN HALF THEHEIGHT OF THE RAIL.